1. Technical Field
This invention relates to therapeutic leg and foot braces, more particularly to a securing apparatus therefore having a foot pad, a fabric foot engagement enclosure for releaseably securing the brace to the foot and ankle of the patient to provide and maintain a constant pressure against the foot, sole and ankle of the patient for therapeutic purposes including adducted and abducted conditions of the foot.
2. Description of Prior Art
An orthotic foot and ankle brace typically has an L-shaped construction with a contoured leg support portion, a foot portion, and an interconnecting heel portion connected there between. An integral fabric foot engagement enclosure is provided to secure the brace to the patient's foot and ankle.
Prior art devices of this type provide for a variety of leg, ankle and foot stabilization utilizing two-part brace assemblies interconnected by free hinges of elastomeric material as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,263 that permit the tolocural articulation to move about a single axis.
Other prior art patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,624 discloses leg and foot braces having adjustable angles between the two sections with an extended ground engagement sole and a cam action locking assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,157 discloses a hinge at the apex of a contoured heel portion to provide free dorsiflextion and plantar-flexion with a pivot point below the hinges for inversion, eversion and pronation and supination of the foot.
Applicant's own U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,088,479, 5,545,127, 5,593,383, 5,908,398, 5,944,679 and 6,302,858 B1 define the present state of the art in ankle and foot orthosis beginning with resilient L-shaped construction in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,479, the introduction of lateral adjustable ankle and foot orthosis in U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,127, adjustable ankle and foot orthosis brace having adjustable hinge assembly between the leg configuration and heel configuration, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,398 a compound adjustable ankle and foot orthosis brace, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,858 B1 having a unique intermedial transition portion with adjustable multi-angular bearing surfaces to impart selective angular inclination both laterally and dorsi/plantar flexion by respective multiple overlapping intermedial end portions of respective resilient interconnecting portions.
Additional prior art devices can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,961,477 and 6,056,712.
In 5,961,477 an ankle and foot orthosis can be seen having a one piece L-shaped support member interconnected to a foot portion having a walking sole thereon.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,712 a multi-functional orthosis for the foot, heel, ankle and lower leg is disclosed in which an upper leg engagement portion has adjustable locking hinge assembly on either side of the dorsi and plantar flexion positioning.